St. Augustine's College - Subject Choice Guidelines First Years 2021/2022 - St ...

St. Augustine’s College

                      Subject Choice Guidelines
Guidance Department
                           First Years 2021/2022

❏AGENDA

1. Junior Cycle Subjects Offered
2. How to choose subjects in First Year

www.staugustines.ie   Twitter: St. Augustine's @FriaryCollege & @FriarySports   & @friaryguidance

‘Settling’ In Approaches

▪   Induction process (Friary Fun Camp- Mid August)
▪   Class structure and organisation
▪   Mentor system
▪   ALL First Years are assigned a Teacher Mentor to
    help them settle into secondary school.
▪   ‘Teach’ key policies (code of conduct; anti bullying)
▪   Parent/teacher meetings
▪   Encourage extra curricular events/clubs/lunch time
    activities.

1st Year Students Study Ten Subjects
All
  Students must study the following 4 Core subjects in 1st Year:
 ▶ English
 ▶ Gaeilge *
 ▶ Mathematics
 ▶ History

 Wellbeing Subjects/Non Exam
 ▶ SPHE & RSE
 ▶ Religion
 ▶ Physical Education
 ▶ Wellbeing
 ▶ CSPE

 1st year students then choose another 6 subjects.
* Exception: If a student is exempt in Gaeilge/Language due to a Specific Learning Difficulty or
educated outside of Ireland up to age 11.

Subjects Offered
Exam Core                           Optional Subjects
Subjects
➢   Irish *                         ➢   Geography
➢ English                           ➢   Science
➢ Maths                             ➢   Art
➢ History                           ➢   French
(* Unless officially                ➢   German
    exempted)
                                    ➢   Spanish
Wellbeing                           ➢   Home Economics
Non-Exam Core                       ➢   Music
Subjects                            ➢   Business Studies
➢   SPHE                            ➢   Woodwork
➢   Physical Education              ➢   Technical Graphics
 Guidance Department
➢   CSPE
➢   Religious Education

How to Rank Subjects
for 1st Year 2021/2022

Choosing Optional Subjects

✓ Please rank the choice subjects you would like to study for
    Junior Certificate Cycle
Choice Subjects
In addition to core subjects, students will study 6 Choice subjects

Please rank your subject choices below in order of your preference. Please rank all subjects.
(1=most preferred, 11=least preferred)

Subject Options Form
                         How to Rank Subjects
 Rank your 1st Year subjects from 1-11
 1=Most wanted/needed
 11= Least wanted/needed.
Preference No. 1,2,3,4 are your most preferred options.
Preference No.5 -No.11are your other choices.
(these may be used where timetabling constraints exist.

 ▶   Subjects you need must be in your top 4
 ▶   We always try to give students their top 4 choices
                           If a student requires a subject transfer they must contact the
                           Guidance Counsellor by Sept 14th 2021. Transfer will depend
                           on availability (Class size or subject line bands).

A BROAD SELECTION OF SUBJECTS
     CAN KEEP OPTIONS OPEN

                      Business
   French                        Art
                      Studies
   German                        Wood
   Spanish                       Technology
                      Science    Graphics
                                 Music
                                 Geography
                                 Home
                                 Economics
Guidance Department

Important Factors to Consider

  ❑    The Students interest in or liking for a
       subject
  ❑    Their aptitudes towards a subject
  ❑    The value of the subject for their
       personal/academic development
  ❑    Whether or not it is necessary to keep
       options open
  ❑    The relevance of the subject for future
       study/career options
  Guidance Department

Can I Study My Native Language?

Students whose native language is not one of the
following;
Irish, English may have the opportunity to study
their native language independently and sit an
examination in this subject at Leaving Certificate
Level.
 Guidance Department

This option is only available at Higher Level.

NON CURRICULAR LEAVING
 CERTIFICATE EXAMINATIONS
▶     These are a list of language options available for
      students to study Independently for Leaving Certificate
      State Examinations.
    Czech             Bulgarian         Danish           Dutch

    Finnish           Hungarian       Latvian           Lithuanian

    Polish            Portuguese      Romanian          Swedish

    Croatian          Estonian        Slovakian         Modern Greek

Guidance Department

Modern Language Requirements

   ▶   These universities require a student to have a third language for
       some courses:
   ▶   If a student has a language exemption this follows through to 3rd
       level,
   ▶

•    At Present: NUI Colleges (NUIG, NUIM, UCC & UCD) require a
     3rd Language for entry to most courses.
•    Other colleges require two languages: English and Irish/3rd
     Language.
•    Institutes of Technology require English or Irish.
•    The Defence Force also requires Irish, English and a 3rd
     Language.
•    Garda Siochana Requires two languages: English and Irish/3rd
     Language
•    You do not need a 3rd language to study Science, Nursing,
     Engineering or Primary School Teaching.

    Guidance Department

College Requirements - Science

 ▶   Science is needed for over 180 courses currently on offer to students.
 ▶   Areas such as Nursing, Medicine, Pharmacy, Radiography, Dietetics,
     Occupational Therapy and some areas of Engineering.
 ▶   STEM are currently encouraging more women to get involved in the area of
     science and engineering.
 ▶   Lot of employment opportunities in this area at present.
 ▶   Please refer to St. Augustine’s College First Year Booklet on Subject Choice.

Resources to help you
                choose your subjects

▶      St. Augustine’s College Subject Options Booklet
▶     Website www.ncca.ie provide fact sheets on all
      subject selection at junior certificate.
▶     www.qualifax.ie www.careersportal.ie -
      subject choice
▶     Talk to Teachers and current students.
▶     Also www.examinations.ie for past exam
      papers and curriculum structure.
    Guidance Department

The Easy Subjects

▶    There is no such thing as an easy subject.
▶    Consider the content of a subject and match it to
     student ability
▶    Example: if the student has an aptitude for
     practical tasks they would enjoy a subject with
     project work and ‘hands on’ practical activities.
▶    Likewise if a student is very academic they will find
     theory subjects much easier to understand.

 Guidance Department

Student Checklist
If you can answer yes to all of the following questions then you have
chosen your subjects wisely and you can be confident that you have
made an informed decision.

∙   Have I chosen subjects that I am interested in        YES / NO
    and that I enjoy?
∙   Have I checked to make sure that I am choosing        YES / NO
    the right subjects for the right career e.g. I must
    have science if I want to become a nurse.
∙   Have I chosen a Modern Language – French /            YES / NO
    German?
∙   Have I spoken to the subject teachers or
    guidance counsellor about any questions I had?        YES / NO
∙   Have I checked www.qualifax.ie : subject choice
    section?                                              YES / NO
∙   Have I made this decision for myself and not          YES / NO
    been influenced / persuaded my any one else?
    (Remember what is right for someone else may
    not be right for you).

Subject              Good at   Enjoy it   Needed for my
                                             career

French
German
Music
Art Craft & Design

Home Economics

Science
Business Studies

History

Geography

Woodwork

Technical Graphics

The Process- What Next

Discuss subject choices with
son/daughter.

  Please return Options form before
  December 4th 2020.

More Information

School Website. www.staugustines.ie
Guidance School Website-Guidance Articles
Twitter - @friaryguidance

www.cao.ie
www.careersportal.ie
www.qualifax.ie

Email: guidance@staugustines.ie

Thank you